worms

Here’s ‘Chewy’ a 3 metre tall pup who is travelling the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland spreading the word about responsible pet ownership and the importance of regular worming*. He’s also advertising a worm tablet made by Novartis, and there’s a prize draw for a pet friendly B&B (I’m in!)

The Wormpatrol Road Show – a 42 stop, UK and Ireland wide tour kicks off today in Pembrokeshire and runs until the end of September.

Yes, that’s right folks, I hope you’re not eating, because today I’m talking about worms (and not the funny ones in a computer game). Pets like Theo dog can pick up worms almost anywhere, and often you won’t spot the evidence until it’s too late – which is why it’s absolutely vital to worm your pet regularly.

Experts recommend that you worm your pet at least 4 times a year. However, young animals and those in a higher risk environment may require worming more regularly.

Theo dog is particularly canny when it comes to cunning human plans to disguise worm pills as tasty treats.

Here’s my top tip to giving an unwilling dog their worm tablet!

First go to the fridge (this is a common first step with many of our activities with Theo 🙂

Make a sandwich, with the pill between the cheese. Now roll it between your fingers. Warm the cheese and mold it completely around the pill.

Your dog is probably sitting on your feet by now. If not, call them.

Give the “sit” command.

Immediately reward them with a thin sliver of cheese (this gets their appetite going, and gains trust). Don’t forget to praise them with a kind voice.

They should still be sitting. Now, hold the cheesy pill slightly above their head. This makes them look up. Give them the pill. The reason I do it this way is because when Theo has his head back he tends just to swallow food. The pill is usually quite large, and if his head is down then he may have time to think about rolling it around his mouth until he separates the pill from the cheese and spits out the pill. The trick is to use as little cheese as possible as big chunks fall apart and reveal the pill sooner.

Hopefully that was successful. Then with more verbal praise, make sure they are still sitting (if not, wait with the patience of a saint and give another sit command when they are paying attention). Now give them the fourth and final cheesy sliver. This last piece may be unnecessary, but I sometimes give Theo another piece to keep him guessing. Some cheesy treats are just cheese, and some are loaded with pills. (Oh god, I’ve just had a terrible premonition of me in an old folk’s home being given tasty treats by the medical staff..)

Well, I hope that helps. Do you have any ingenious ways to medicate your pup? Don’t forget to worm them!

Update: here’s our submission for the luxury holiday, check out that winning smile!